Oak Bay family builds board game to balance nature

An Oak Bay family turned a homeschool project into a way to educate and give back, by designing a board game about balancing nature – with a portion of proceeds going to environmental charities.

After seven years of hard work, from the original hand-made clay pieces to the professional final product, Forestation Board Game has landed back in Oak Bay, bursting a garage with 1,500 boxes ready for play.

“We wanted to make a game that would reflect our desire to help animals and save them from extinction,” said Asher Weinerman who designed the game with his three children – Chaim, Leila and Joseph (their initials make up the company name, CLJ Games).

The family did so both in the game and the real world. The game is about creating and sustaining a balanced ecosystem teeming with flora and fauna. The family helps animals in a real way by donating 5 per cent of sales to each of two charities – the Raincoast Conservation Foundation and the Wilderness Committee.

The Weinermans also wanted to make sure that the game was manufactured in an environmentally-responsible way, so it was made with FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification by NSF in the Netherlands.

Though new, the environmental board game has been well-received, being picked up by Science teachers, Bolen Books, Tanner Books, Timeless Toys, Swan Lake Sanctuary, Robert Bateman museum, and Skyhaven Games.

A demo is scheduled at Bolen Books at Hillside Mall from noon until 3 p.m. on Nov. 10.